Shunga (春画)
is the Japanese term for erotic art.The
word “shunga” literally means spring
picture, with “spring” being a euphemism for sex.Most shunga
was published in books, with the larger images spanning two facing pages.Although shunga
is generally unsigned, hidden signatures and known pseudonyms often permit
identification of the artist.Kuniyoshi
is known to have used the pseudonyms HakubyôkaiHodoyoshi (happy keeper of white cats), GobyôteiHodoyoshi (five cat home–just
right), and SanbenteiNekoyoshi
(the Sanbentei cat lover).The titles of shunga are often plays on words, resulting is widely varying
translations.A good introduction to shunga may be found in this article by MarijnKruijff.